problème French · revision 17436

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1380, Évrart de Conty|origins=grc προβάλλω}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /pʁɔ.blɛm/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''problème''' ''m'' (plural problèmes)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la|problēma|t=a question to be solved]], from [[grc|πρόβλημα|tr=próblēma|t=something put forward; obstacle; task; question]], derived from [[m|grc|προβάλλω|tr=probállō|t=to throw before; to put forward]], from [[m|grc|πρό|tr=pró|t=before]] and [[m|grc|βάλλω|tr=bállō|t=to throw]].^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(GLLF 1989)^(FEW|9, 408a)^(Littré 1873) Bloch and Wartburg note that the word was rare before the 17th century.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ It is first found about 1380 in Évrart de Conty's French version of the ''Problems'' of Aristotle, meaning a speculative difficulty to which one seeks an answer.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Until the 17th century the word belonged to philosophy and theology; it then entered mathematics (1612, Bachet's ''Problèmes plaisans et delectables qui se font par les nombres'') and physics (1632, Descartes).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) The school exercise in mathematics is found in Colette (1900).^(TLFi)

+

+ In the 18th century ''problème'' came to mean a thing or person hard to understand (1753) and a practical difficulty (1775, Voltaire).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) ''Avoir des problèmes'' is recorded in 1954 (Simone de Beauvoir), and ''il n'y a pas de problème'' (1963) is a calque of English ''no problem''.^(TLFi) ''Faux problème'' dates from 1932 (Bergson).^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1380 – Évrart de Conty's ''Problèmes d'Aristote''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1612 – Bachet's mathematical ''Problèmes''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1632 – In physics, in Descartes.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1753 – A person or thing hard to explain.^(TLFi)

+ * 1775 – A practical difficulty, in Voltaire.^(TLFi)

+ * 1900 – A school exercise, in Colette.^(TLFi)

+ * 1963 – ''Il n'y a pas de problème''.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A question open to discussion in a field of knowledge: ''le problème du mal''.^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # A question to be solved by reasoning; a mathematics exercise: ''un problème de géométrie''.^(GLLF 1989)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # A [[m|en|difficulty]] to be dealt with: ''les problèmes de logement''.^(TLFi)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(familiar)'' Trouble: ''avoir des problèmes'', ''pas de problème''.^(TLFi)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A person or thing hard to understand: ''cet enfant est un problème''.^(TLFi)^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[problématique]]

+ * [[problématiser]]

+ * [[problémiste]]

+ * [[grc|πρόβλημα|tr=próblēma]]

+ * [[en|problem]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}